Electric time system for telephone-lines



(No Model.)

J. S. ROSS.

ELEGTRIO TIME SYSTEM FOR TELEPHONE LINES.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE,

JAMES S. ROSS, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

ELECTRIC TIME SYSTEM FOR TELEPHONE-LINES,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,110, dated May 4,1886,

Application filed August 1, 1885.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES SAMUEL Ross, of Nashville, in the county ofDavidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain Improvements inElectric Time Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The aim of this invention is to utilize the local or subscribers linesof a telephone-exchange system in connection with the timeregulator atthe central oflice to correct or adjust regulators located on said linesat definite times, preferably once in twelve hours.

To this endit consists in combining with a subscribers line or a seriesof subscribers lines at the central office a regulator which acts at thepredetermined time, first, to disconnect the subscribers lines from theswitch-board and connect them with an open ground-line containing aresistance-coil and a battery or generator, and, second, to close saidgroundline in order that an impulse or current may be transmitted overthe subscribers lines to effect the adjustment or correction of thelocal or subscribers regulators located thereon.

It consists, further, in combining with the subscribers lines controlledas above, thelocal or subscribers regulators, each of which may controlits own local system of clocks, if desired, and each of which isprovided with an electric adjusting or synchronizing mechanism by whichthe hands are brought to the proper position by the momentary impulsereceived over the line from the battery before mentioned.

I prefer to employ a local regulator of the form presented in anotherapplication tiled in my name September 21, 1885, N0.177,687, but anyother approved form may be employed.

I propose to have the regulation of the clocks occur only at longintervalsas oncein twelve hours-that it may not interfere in anobjectionable manner with the usual telephone service; and, on the otherhand, interference with the time service is prevented by the fact thatall communication with the telephones is interrupted during the briefperiod required for the time service.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagramillustrating a general arrangement of my system. Fig. 2 is a viewshowing as far as necessary the details of the subscribers regulator.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the Serial No. 173,252. (NoIncdoll switch-board or equivalent connection at the central office; B,one of the local or subscribers circuits leading therefrom; O, thesubscribers telephone mounted in or connected with the circuit B; and D,the subscribers regulator having its controlling or regulating magnetarranged for connection with the said circuit, as hereinafter described.

The subscribers circuit is provided at the central office with a rotaryor other suitable switch, E, by which it may be disconnected from theswitchboard or other central-office instruments and connected with agroundline, F, which contains a battery or dynamo, G, and aresistance-coil, H, so that the current from the battery G may, for thetime-be ing, traverse the subscribers circuit B, to control the localregulator D. The groundline F stands normally open at I, where itcontains a circuit-closing device, K, actuated by a relay-magnet, L,located in a special or relay circuit, M, containing a battery, N, andopened and closed,as presently described, by the main regulator ormaster clock 0, at the central office. 'When this regulator closes therelay-circuit, the magnet L closes the groundcircuit F, so that (theswitchE being first properly adjusted) an impulse will be transmittedfrom the battery G, as before alluded to, to the distant regulator D.

For the purpose of moving the switch at the proper time I propose to usea motor of any suitable character. However, I recommend its connectionby a pitman, P, to a rotary drum, Q, actuated by a weighted cord, It,and held in check by a detent-lever, S. This detent has an armature inthe field of an actuat ing-magnet, T, located in a special circuit, U,and extended to the main regulator, by which it is momentarily closed atthe time when the correction of the clocks is to occur.

As will presently appear, the main regulator, at the predetermined ti mefor effecting the correction of the clocks, closes the circuit U, sothat the detent S is released, and the switch E is permitted to cut thesubscribers line on from the switch-board and connect it with the openground-line F, after which the relay-circuit is momentarily closed at I,so that the current will for the moment pass to the local regulator D.This local regulator is constructed, as hereinafter explained, so thatthe current transmitted thereto will unlock its train from theescapement and permit its hands, if in arrears, to advance instantly tothe synchronizing point.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the main regulator servesto isolate the subscribers line from the previous connection, so thatthere may be no interruption of the timing action, and to gronnd andclose the subscribers line for the moment that the current may pass fromthe battery G to the subscribers regulator, after which the originalconnections are restored and the line left in condition for ordinarytelephonic purposes.

Referring to the details of the main or office regulator, attention isdirected to Fig. 1, which fully illustrates those parts in which itdiffers from ordinary clocks. It may be driven by weights, springs, orelectricity, and, as regards the time-train and time mechanism, may beof any ordinary or approved form, containing, as usual, theescapement-wheel a, pallet 21, and central arbor, c, carrying theminute-wheel d and hour-wheel e to turn the respective hands. The wheels(I and e are provided, respectively, with conducting-pins f and g, andare in'metallic connection with each other and with the frame, so thatthe current may pass from one to the other and to the frame. The specialotfice circuit U, which contains the switchingmagnet T, and which Icommonly denominate the switching-circuit, is divided and provided withterminal springs or contacts h and 7:, arranged to be encountered bypins on the wheels (I and e, as shown. WVhen bothpins' are in contact,which happens but once in twelve hours, the circuit is closed throughtheir wheels and arbor and the magnet T caused to release the switch E,as before explained. The relay-circuit M, for closing theground-connections, is normally broken at three points, which are closedsimultaneously by the hour-wheel, the minute-wheel, and the pallet,respectively, as will now be explained. The relay-conductor M extendsfrom the relay-magnet to a conducting-spring, an, attached to aninsulated support and overlying a second conducting-spring, n, normallyout of contact therewith, to produce the first break in the circuit. Atthe end of every twelve hours the pin 9 of the hourwheel acts on aninsulated surface of the spring n and lifts the same against the springm, thus closing the circuit at this point. From the finger n theconductor is continued to a second finger, 0, which at the end of eachhour forms a momentary contact with the pin f of the minute-wheel d,through which the current passes by the way of the metal frame or otherconductor to the axis of an upright weighted finger, p. \Vhen free, thisfinger hangs in a vertical position and is idle; but at the end of eachminute an arm, g, on the arbor of the escapemeht-wheel, forces thefinger over into the path of an insulated conductingspring, 1", attachedto the pallet-staff and connected by a conductor with the relay-magnet.The spring 4 receives a constant vibration from the palIetstafi, andduring the time that the finger p is held back by the arm q the spring1- forms a contact therewith, thus closing the circuit.

The closing of the circuit by the devices m, 'n, and o and pcoincidently occurs but once in twelve hours, and is maintained for amoment only. The reopening of the circuit is due to the fact that thecontacts f and g are advanced by the clock-train and the fingerpreleased by the arm q, so that the contacts fail to close concurrently asecond time until the hourwheel has made a complete revolution. The

master clock at the central otfice is timed or 7 adjusted with referenceto the local regulators in the subscribers lines in such manner thatthe'closing of the circuit in the master clock and the' grounding of thesubscribers lines through the line f and battery 9 occurs just beforethe local regulators d are switched into the subscribers circuit by theautomatic switches u. as hereinafter explained.

Each of the subscribers clocks may have its time mechanism constructedin any ordinary manner, and provided with synchronizing devices, of anyknown or approved form, adapted to be actuated by a magnet, t, on thesubscribers line. In order that the resistance of the telephone mayberemoved from the line during the adjustment of the clock, and that, onthe other hand, the resistance of the clock-magnet may be removed duringthe period of telephone service, I propose to provide the clock with anautomatic switch, a, actuated by the clock mechanism. switch is no partof the present invention, and is fully described in the application N 0.177,687, before alluded to, further description is unnecessary. Thisswitch acts tointroduce the telephone 0 and magnet t into the circuitalternately, the introduction of the magnet occurring just before thetime for the reception of the synchronizing impulse and continuing but ashort time.

I am aware that an office regulator has been arranged so that thevibrations of its pendulum cont-rolled a local battery acting throughintermediate devices to reverse the direction of the current on a mainline, which was in turn connected through a complicated system ofdelicately-adjustedinstruments with a local clock, and this I do notclaim. In my system the main line is entirely disconnected from theofiice instruments and the current of the office battery thrown upon theline and communicated by the latter directly to thesynchronizing-magnets of the local clocks.

While I have described my system. in connection with a telephone-line,it will of course be understood that the main or standard clock may beapplied in like manner in connection with telegraph, signal, or otherelectric lines to cutout the instruments and control tempo- XCO As this4 rarily one or more secondary or controlled clocks thereon, and Iconsider it especially adapted for railroad-time keeping.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combinationwith atelephone-exchangc system embracing central-office instruments andsubscribers lines leading therefrom, a ground-line embracing a battery,a central-office regulator which periodically and temporarilydisconnects the ofiice instrument and completes the subscribers linethrough the ground-line and battery, and a subscribers regulatorprovided with an electric synchronizing mechanism located in thesubscribers line, whereby the central-office connections are kept whollyout of connection and a momentary impulse transmitted in the meantimeover the subscribers line to adjust the subscribers regulator.

2. In combination with a telegraph or telephone line havingcentral-office instruments connected therewith, a special office batteryhaving a ground-connection, and a central-office regulator, whereby theoffice instruments are periodically and temporarily disconnected fromthe line and left in an open circuit, and the line connected with thespecial battery and its ground-connection.

3. The combination, substantially as described, of the subscriberstelephone-line of a telephone-exchange system, the ground-linecontaining a battery or generator, the switch E, for connecting theground-line with the subscribers line and disconnecting the usual ofliceinstruments therefrom, the switch-con trolling circuit, and thecentral-oflice regulator to close said switch-circuit, whereby theoffice regulator is caused to disconnect the subscribers lines from theoifice instruments and ground them through the special battery.

4. In combination with the main or subscribcrs line B and central-officeinstruments connected normally therewith, a ground-line embracing abattery and a normally-open circuit-closing device, a switch fordisconnecting the office instruments from line B and connecting thegroundline with the latter, a relay-magnet to efi'ect the closing of thegroundline, and a centratoffice regulator acting at long intervals tomomentarily close the relay circuit, whereby a momentary impulse istransmitted from the local battery over the main line,while the officeinstruments are disconnected.

5. In combination with a telephone exchange system embracing subscriberslines and central-ofiice instruments connected therewith, as usual,subscribers regulatorslocated on their circuits and provided withelectromagnetic synchronizing mechanism,a centraloffice ground-lineembracing a special battery and normally open, anelectrically-controlled switch to sever connections between the officeinstruments and the subscribers lines,a relaymagnet for grounding thesubscribers lines through the special battery, a central-officeregulator acting at long intervals to control the switchoperatingcircuit and the relaycircuit.

6. In combination with the office connections and subscriberstelephone-line, the ground-line F and its battery, the switch E, theswitch-operating motor and its detent,the magnet T and its battery V,and the regulator adapted to open and close the circuit of the latter,as described, whereby the subsrib' ers lines are automatically throwninto and out of connection with the ground-line.

7. In a time system, substantially such as described, the combination ofa line-conductor, B, ol-fice instruments, a ground-line, F, embracing abattery, a switch, E, for connecting the line B alternately with theoffice instruments and the groundline, the switchcontrolling magnet T,and its circuit U, embracing a battery, and two devices to open andclose said circuit,carried, respectively, by the hour and minute wheelsof a time-keeper.

S. The subscribers line having both a time-indicator and a signalmechanism thereon, the ground-line, and the magnetic device for closingthe latter,in combination with the circuit embracing said device, andcircuitclosing devices controlled by the hour-wheel, n'iinute-wheel,andescapement, respectively.

9. In an electric clock, the vibratory conductor p, in combination withthe arm q, re-

volving with the escapemcnt-wheel, and the conducting-finger 9-, carriedby the pallet, whereby an electric circuit may be periodically completedthrough said conductors p 1'.

10. In combination with the subscribers line of a telephone system, acentral-office clock acting at long intervals and momentarily first toconnect the line with a normally-open ground-line containing a battery,and second to close said groundline, and immediately open the sameagain.

11. In combination with a telephone-exchange system embracing a centraloffice and a subscribers line therefrom, a centratoffice regulatoradapted and arranged to switch out the usual office instruments andground the subscribers lines through a special battery, and asubscriber's regulator provided with an electric synchronizing deviceand with mechanism i'orswitching said devices into and out of circuit atthe proper times.

12. In combination with a main line or circuit and instruments connectedtherewith, a regulator or timepiece which acts automatically to switchthe instruments out of the circuit and itself into the circuit, and viceversa, whereby the regulator is caused to assume temporarily entirecontrol of the circuit.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twoattesting witnesses.

JAMES S. ROSS. Witnesses:

PHILIP T. DODGE, PAUL J ONES.

